User Stories

Creating User Stories With ALM Integration

To Sync user stories using an ALM integration (e.g., JIRA), follow these steps:

1) Navigate to the User Stories section under Change Management.

2) Click the Sync User Stories option from the User Stories screen. The user stories from the external system will be synced and displayed in the User Stories screen.

Note: Clicking Sync User Stories will synchronize records of all issue types from the externally integrated ALM project into ReleaseOwl.

a) If the project you are working on is associated with an external system (e.g., JIRA), any user stories from that system will appear in the User Stories screen after syncing.

b) Always ensure to sync the Sprints first before syncing the User Stories.

3) Click OK. The user stories created in the external system will be synced to ReleaseOwl and will appear on the User Stories screen.

4) To view previously performed sync actions, click on Sync History.

Note : The column widths for User Story ID, Status, Type, and Assigned To are now dynamically adjusted based on content length. The Summary and Pipeline Status columns are restricted to a maximum width of 20% of the table to maintain layout consistency and prevent overflow.

Creating User Stories Without ALM Integration

To create user stories manually for systems not integrated through ALM , follow these steps:

1) To create a new user story manually, click the Create New User Story button.

2) Enter the following details and click Save:

Field	Description
Summary	A summary of the user story being created.
Description	A detailed description of the user story being created.
Type	Default type is Story. Available issue types: Story, Task, Sub-task, Bug, Issue, Epic, Incident. Any issue type can be created in ReleaseOwl.
Assigned To	Select the user to whom the user story is to be assigned.
Sprint	The sprint in which the user story will be handled.
Release Version	The version of the release in which the user story will get released.

3) The user story gets created and gets listed in the User Story grid.

4) You can delete user stories by clicking the Delete button.

5) The following columns are seen for a user story:

Field	Description
User Story	Represents the user story being tracked.
User Story ID	Unique identifier for the user story.
Summary	A brief description of the user story.
Status	Current status of the user story. Status options: To Do, In Progress, QA Ready, Prod Ready, Done
Type	Issue type of the user story. Available types: Story, Task, Sub-task, Bug, Issue, Epic, Incident
External ID	ID of the user story from an external system shown if the project is integrated with external systems.
Assigned To	The user to whom the issue type is assigned.
Validation Status Filter	The Validation Status shows the current stage of the user story validation process. The possible statuses are: Not Validated: Validation has not yet started for this user story. Started: The validation process has been initiated. In Progress: Validation is actively running and not yet completed. Success: Validation is completed successfully without any errors. Review Pending: Validation is completed, but the results are awaiting manual review. Review Completed: The validation review has been completed and closed.
Pipeline Stage	Default value is Dev. Updates to the next stage upon each promotion in the release pipeline.
Pipeline Status	Status of the release pipeline execution.
Actions	Actions available for the user story: Edit, Validate, Validation Report, Promote, Pipeline Activity. Note: Promote not available for MTAR applications.

6) When you click the Action button, you will see the list of available actions that can be performed on the user story.

2. User Story Tab

This is the primary section for entering and managing story information.

a. Core Fields

Field	Description
Summary	A short title summarizing the purpose of the user story.
Description	Provides detailed context or requirements for the story (optional).
Type	Identifies the work item type.
Assigned To	The user responsible for implementing this story.
Status	Current state of the story (Open, In Progress, Done).
No Artifacts	When enabled, all artifacts associated with the User Story are automatically deleted to maintain data consistency.
Release Pipeline	The release pipeline associated with the story, used for deployment tracking.
Release Version	Specifies the release version or build where this story is included.
Component	Refers to the business or technical component impacted (e.g., TC for Testing Component).
External ID	A unique identifier used to map or synchronize the User Story with external systems

b. Actions

Action	Description
Validate	Performs validation to ensure all required details are complete.
Validation Report	Displays a summary of validation results.
Promote	Promotes the story to the next stage in the release workflow.
Save	Saves all modifications made to the story details.
Activity Log	Displays a chronological list of all actions performed on the story, including status changes, updates, and user actions, allowing for full traceability.

3. Artifacts Tab

This tab dynamically updates based on the projects added in the Artifacts section. Only the relevant artifacts associated with those projects will be displayed.

4. Attachments Tab

Use this tab to upload and manage supporting files and links related to your user story. You can browse for a file, attach it, or add a reference link as needed.

Details

• Maximum file size allowed: 10 MB.

Validation

• Navigate to the User Stories section.

• Click on the Validation option.

• Navigate back to the User Story section.

• A pop-up dialog appears prompting you to select the appropriate SAP CPI target environment from the list.

• After selecting the target environment, click the Validate button to initiate the validation process.

Validation Report

• Navigate back to the User Story section. Click on the Validation Report button

• The system generates the validation report based on the selected environment and displays the results.

Pipeline Activity:

To view the pipeline activity:

1. Navigate to the User Story section.

2. Click on the Pipeline Activity button.

1. On clicking Pipeline Activity, you can view the release pipeline execution status, including the current stage, progress, and overall execution details.

Options in Pipeline Activity Screen (Right Panel) The right side of the Pipeline Activity screen contains the following options:

• Abort: This button allows users to stop a currently running pipeline activity. When clicked, a confirmation popup appears where the user must provide a reason to proceed. Once confirmed, the pipeline status changes to Aborted for the respective task.

• When aborting an action, users can also update the status of the associated User Story.

Note: The Abort action will not interrupt a deployment that is already in progress. Use this action only when the pipeline is in a Waiting for Approval or Suspended state.

• The Pipeline Stage and Pipeline Status of the related user story are also updated to Aborted.

• History:

This option displays the execution history of the release pipeline, including details such as the number of times the pipeline was executed, who triggered each execution, and the status of each run.

• When you click on the arrow button (>), you are taken to the Pipeline Activity screen.

Refresh:

This button allows you to update the Pipeline Activity screen with the latest information. When you click on the Refresh button, it reloads the current status of the release pipeline to reflect any recent changes or updates.

Dependencies ( Beta)

The Dependencies (Beta) feature ensures that User Stories are executed in the correct sequence during deployments. This helps prevent conflicts, execution blockers, and missed dependencies, resulting in a smoother and more reliable deployment process.

Release Audit Report

You have the option to export the details as a Release Audit Report. The exported document provides comprehensive information to help track and communicate the progress of the user story.

The exported PDF provides the following comprehensive information:

1. Release Summary

   • A high-level overview of the release associated with the user story.

2. Stage-by-Stage Deployment Details

   • Detailed deployment information for each stage of the pipeline.

3. Code and Artifact Changes Summary

   • A summary of the changes made to the code and associated artifacts, ensuring clarity on what has been modified.

4. Traceability Matrix

   • Links between:

     • Requirements

     • User stories

     • Code changes

     • Deployment stages

   • This ensures end-to-end traceability for audit and review purposes.

5. Approval and Audit Summary

   • A comprehensive summary of:

     • Approvals obtained for the user story.

     • Audit trails detailing all actions taken.